Nesting chairs



May 17, 1960 c. MACKINTOSH,

' NESTING CHAIRS Original Filed April 4, 1955 INVENT OR (54W 7AM Mada" ATTORNEYS NESTING CHAIRS Charles Mackintosh, Los Angeles, Calif; original application A ru4. 19s5, Serial No. 498,855. Divided and this application July 16, 1958, Serial No. 749,033 I v 8Claims. 01.15542) This invention relates to nesting chairs and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 498;855,"filed April 4, 1955, now abandoned. Y

i More specifically the invention has to do with nesting chairs of a new and superior type provided with writing arms in which the'chairs and their saidwriting arms are Unit d t v and 147 alllie substantially in a common horizontal plane 2,935,817 Ratented May 17, 1960 It will be seen that the horizontal portions 154, 157

whereby to provide a support for a generally rectangular seat 149 which may be secured thereon in any conventionalmanner. I

The back rest 148 of the chair is supported from the rear thereof in substantially spaced relation above the seat 149 by means of one or more frame back portions 158 and 163, the lower ends of which are welded or otherwise rigidly securedto the crossbar 147 between the rear legs 150., It will be seen that these back portions of the chair frame are both located on one side of the chair structure and substantially spaced transversely of the chair from the inner edge 167 of the Writing arm 167 hereinafter described'in more detail. Thus the back rest 148 will be seen to be supported in cantilever fashion arranged in novel manner to permit the'irdisposition in nesting relation. w I light, inexpensive and simple. construction so that they may be easily moved and stacked in nested relation.

Therefore they are particularly adapted for use in schools, churches and the like where the removal of chairs after use for the purpose of providing clear spaceis often a 4 primary consideration.

It has, of course, been diflicult to provide for nesting of chairs equippedwithwriting arms forthe reason that Such' chairs are of characteristically the writing arms themselves project substantially in front of the respective chairs and also project a. substantial distance toward the medial fore and; aft plane of the respective chairs. Becauseof this the said Writing arms will generally interfere with other parts of the chairs, particularly the backs thereof, in a manner which defeats any attempt to nest a plurality ofsuch chairs.

Inithe present invention there is provided a special novel arrangement of the chair backs an'dtheir associated writing arms'inaccordance with which the back rests of the chairs are supported in spaced relation above the seats of the respective chairs and in cantilever manner from one side ofthe respective chairs, namely the side opposite the writing arm, all to the end that the writing arm of each chair may. be. disposed beneath the; writing arm of an adjoining chair and beneath the back rest thereof when the chairs are nested. V I

-Itisa further object to interconnect the writing arms to the projecting ends orsides of the back rests to reinforce these otherwise unsupported portions of the back rests against rearward deflection under the stresses nor-' in broken lines how another similar chair may be nested therewith.

Referring now inmore detail to the drawing, the illustrated chair structure comprises a frame which will be seen in the present instance to consist of an inverted U-shaped rigid metal element, the depending legs 150 of which constitute the rear legs of the chair. The front legs 153 and 156 of the chair are provided with integral horizontal and rearward extensions 154 and 157, respectively, the rear extremities of which are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the horizontal connecting portion or crossbar 147 which interconnects the two rear legs 150 as above mentioned.

with its projecting free side or end unsupported in any direct manner from thehorizontal cross brace 147.

For the purpose of supporting the writing arm 167 there are provided two'braces designated generally as vertical brace 168 and horizontal brace 169. Brace 168 has a generally horizontal portion 160 located just above the lower ends of the front legs 153 and 156 and fixedly connected to both of these legsto lend rigidity to the chair structurein its entirety, as well as to provide a footing for the brace 168 itself. Formed integrally with the horizontal portion 160- is a vertical connectingfrod 162 disposed in a vertical plane outside of the outer edge 167 of the writing arm and at its upper end supporting a further horizontal portion 161 which extends inwardly beneath and provides a support for the writing arm'wbich is secured thereon.

Thus, by utilization of the one brace 168 not only is arm rest portion 167a and a relatively broader writing area-16712 projecting laterally inwardly toward the central area overlying the chair seat 149 so that it may extend partially in front of the chair occupant in'usualmanner.

' The inner edge 167 of the writing arm therefore is lo rear legs of another chair.

catedxabove and substantially inwardly of the side edge of the subjacent seat 149 or, in other words, overlies the seat portion.

In order to avoid interference between the inwardly projecting portion of the writing arm and the back rest supporting means or portions 163 and 158 as the adjoining chairs are nested in the'manner shown in Fig.

' 2, the back rest support 163 and thesupport 158 are both arranged as heretofore mentioned to support the back rest 148 in cantilever fashion. Thus the writing arm 167 of one chair may be readily received beneath the back rest 148 and the writing arm of another chair as these are disposed in nesting relation. The chairs otherwise are formed and proportioned so that their parts may be nested. To this end the rear legs 150 of each chair are spaced apart a greater distance than are the front legs 153 and 156 thereof so that as the chairs are nested the front legs of one chair may be rested between the Moreover, the arrangement of the connecting rod 162 to'one side of or beyond the outer lateral edge 167' of the chair arm results in avoiding any interference between this connecting rod 162 and the respective writing arms of the chairs as the latter are deflection under the stresses imposed thereon during use of the chair by an occupant.

In this application I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of my invention simply by way of illustration of the preferred mode of carrying out the invention. However, I recognize that the invention is capable of modification and that its several details may be changed in various respects, all without departing from my said invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddescription herein are'intended as merely illustrative in nature and not by way of limitation.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a nesting chair which comprises side frame members having a generally vertical front leg portion and a generally horizontal seat portion, said rear legs being relatively spaced apart further than said front legs, an inverted U-shaped member having legs which constitute the rear legs of said nesting chair and a cross bar which constitutes the back of the seat of said nesting chair, means for attaching said side members to said cross bar, at least one substantially vertical back supporting member of the lower end of which is fixedly engaged to said cross bar, a horizontal writing arm and means supporting said arm above said seat porinwardly projecting portion extending beneath and supporting said arm and means rigidly connecting the lower end of said connecting rod to one of the legs of the chair.

4. The combination of claim 3, including an L-shaped horizontal brace having a longitudinal leg disposed beneath said armand rigidly connected to said inwardly projecting portion of the first mentioned brace and an inwardly extending leg fixed to said back supporting member.

5. As an article of manufacture, a nesting chair which comprises a frame having front and rear legs and a gen-. erally horizontal seat portion, said rear legs being relatively spaced apart further than said front legs, at least one substantially vertical back supporting member projecting upwardlyfrom the said seat portion, a horizontal writing arm and means supporting said arm above said seat portion, with its inner edge overlying said seat portion, said back supporting member being spaced transtion, with its inner edge overlying said seat portion, said back supporting member being spaced transversely from said inner edge and on the opposite side therefrom of a vertical longitudinal plane lying between the vertical longitudinal plane of said back supporting member and said inner edge, whereby a plurality of said chairs may be relatively longitudinally moved into substantially vertically registering nesting relation without interference between their said writing arms and back supporting mem bers.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said arm supporting means comprises an L-shaped horizontal brace having a longitudinal leg disposed beneath said arm at one side of said seat portion and an inwardly extending transverse leg fixed to said back supporting member.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a brace havof the outer edge of said arm and having a transversely ing a generally vertical connecting rod disposed outwardly porting members.

versely from said inner edge and on the opposite side therefrom a verticallongitudinal plane lying between the vertical longitudinal plane of saidback supporting member and said inner edge, whereby a plurality of said chairs may be relatively longitudinally moved into substantially vertically registering nesting relation'without interference between their saidwriting arms and back sup- 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said arm supporting means comprises an L-shaped horizontal brace having a longitudinal leg disposed beneath said arm at one side of said seat portion and an inwardly extending,

transverse leg fixed to said back supporting member.

7. The combination of claim 5 including a brace having a generally vertical connecting rod-disposed outwardly of the outer edge of said arm and having a transversely inwardly projecting portion extending beneath and supporting said arm and means rigidly connecting the lower end of said connecting rod to one of the legs of the chair. p r V v p 8. The combination of claim 7, including an L-shaped horizontal brace having a longitudinal leg disposed be neath said arm and rigidly connected to said inwardly projecting portion of the first mentioned brace and an inwardly extending leg fixed to saidback supporting member. e p 

